Le Chabrol -- a 'Shared Equity Plan' in the heart of the Dordogne...
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Monday, September 13, 2010 • Paris, France
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Dear Parler Paris Reader,
My favorite contractor is busy laying a "chape de béton" (concrete screed or flooring) on the floor of my 17th-century "cave" (cellar). It's the largest one of two cellars that came along with the "viager" (life annuity) apartments we now know as "Le Saint-Tropez" and "La Brigitte."
The cellar is almost as large as the studio apartment itself -- about 16m2. It has high vaulted ceilings and as cellars go, is one of the finest one might encounter. It is fortunate, too, that the entrance to it is down one flight of stairs and just to the left, so that there is no wandering around dank narrow corridors with a dirt floor peppered by rat poison for the obvious reason. (Most cellars are pretty scary!) This cellar is so special that it has a vent into the carriageway, which the contractor has used to run a hose needed to wet and mix the concrete.
In honor of its stature among Paris cellars, we are adding florescent lighting, electrical plugs, shelving and a ladder to reach high things. It is certain that before long, the cellar that I didn't own until this past year will become as full of stuff as anyone's cellar or garage. (I can think of a zillion things to put into it to of which I can empty the closets -- such as files that the government requires you keep for at least 10 years!)
The other cellar is filled to the brim with belongings of my neighbor, Madame B., whose own cellar was used to install the elevator. No problem -- she can use it as long as she likes. I have plenty of space with just this one -- in fact, it may be so nice that it could be rented out on the short term! (I'm joking, promise!)
| Note: To read the story of the "Viager" with a View known as "Le Saint-Tropez" and "La Brigitte," visit Le Viager and to book the apartments for your next stay in Paris, visit Le Saint-Tropez |
Watching the transformation of an 'ugly duckling' into a 'graceful swan' is a very rewarding experience. I've had many, but the same thing happened for Gary Gunas, owner of "Le Chabrol" -- a 'Shared Equity Plan' in the heart of the Dordogne with three bedrooms and a 'shimmering heated pool.' He and his partners bought an 'old stone barn' when the cows were still living in it then spent a good deal of time, money and energy restoring it to perfection, having completed it in 2007.
That 'old stone barn' now sleeps six in three bedrooms, has 2.5 baths, features a spacious open-plan kitchen/dining/living room and has a low-chlorine, heated salt water pool. They added central in-floor heating and a big country fireplace, equipped it with WiFi broadband and a large flatscreen TV with French and English channels then sat back to enjoy the serene country setting directly on the banks of the Dordogne River. It's the part of the famously scenic Cingle de Trémolat in the Périgord Noir between Sarlat and Bergerac.
This 'old stone barn' is now one of France's most luxurious fractional ownership properties and Gary's willing to give up a share or two of his Dordogne pride and joy to people who will love it as much as he does. "The Dordogne has its most obvious appeal in the summer, but spring and autumn are each glorious in their own ways, and winter is, well, more spiritual and inward-looking (fireplace weather!)," Gary says.
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They propose five shares of ten weeks occupancy each. Each share “owns” a particular set of super-prime weeks and then shares access to the pool the other weeks not owned outright by another share-
holder (the “floating weeks”). Shareholders can always exchange owned weeks with one another and can allow friends and family to use their time, if they wish. Shares start at 115,000€ -- a bargain for 10 weeks in such a glorious spot in the French countryside.
A la prochaine...
Adrian Leeds
Editor, Parler Paris
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